Smith Books

This book really is the definitive source of all things Disney by the keeper of its archives. It is fascinating and complete, containing information about theme parks, characters, movies, television shows, music, and more. It is the must-have reference for Disney fans like myself.

This is a must have for Disney fans. Everything from ABC's LOST to the Alice Comedies and from Steamboat Willy to Meet the Robinsons is covered here. Some articles are more detailed than others but everything is covered. Makes an interesting read just on its own. Film historians and students will find a wealth of connective material here to jump start them on research and fill in the dots on hard to find questions. A beautiful display of pictures is included with this volume. If you can't actually visit the archives (and I certainly would like to) then this is the next best thing.

"Disney A to Z" is an awesome book that a true Disney fan cannot live without. It is a great book that will help you find out about old Disney movies, that you might have not seen. "Disney A to Z" encyclopedia is also an essential source for those that love to play the "Disney Seen it" board game. It gives a short description of ALL Disney movies including the short ones that came out after the World War II. I LOVE IT!!!

This is a great gift for any Disney fan. Many listing bring back great memories and coll trivia.

This book is a great resource for all Disney fans. All the characters, all the movies (unfortunately, the Mephisto movie made in collaboration with Salvador Dali is not in the book) and all the attractions, parks, properties and influentials employees are mentioned. Maybe just not as exhaustive as I would like it; it is, however, a great resource.

It is amazing to see the scope of the body of work he produced during this time period, LIFE was pissed at him Magnum fed up! All the world didn't understand his need to see! This book shows the work in full! wonderful buy.

I purchased Dream Street after reading about the Pittsburgh Project and what it ment to Eugene Smith. I think it's an important book for anyone interested in Photography, Photojournalism or Eugene Smith. The size and quality of the prints is quite allright for the price paid. And the photos are the best part. Great book!

This book was bought for Christmas for my husband who just loves photography. He has had this on his must have list for some time so he was delighted with it.

This book does a great job in documenting not only W. Eugene Smith's four years of extensive research and photographing Pittsburgh, PA but it also reveals a torment man's struggle in trying to capture something that we will never understand since his 6000 photographs of Pittsburgh set a standard for not only documenting a city but he also raise the bar in the artistic expression of black & white photography. The prints of Smith's work in this book are very good and edited quite nicely, included are some of the photograper's letters to his friend and relatives revealing the thoughts of a troubled genius in words that show he could have been a great writer, too.

I'm a Pittsburgh native, though I was born after the pictures were made. Still, I found Dream Street to be an interesting perspective on my hometown. Smith's special gift is looking beyond the typical "beauty shots"- the Pittsburgh skyline, the parks, etc., and capturing images that create a strong feeling of the local neighborhoods and their residents. While the topology of Pittsburgh creates strong local neighborhoods, it's the mix of residents that really gives it character. Local restaurants, the alleys and streets of some of the less glamourous sections of the city, and the sense of history and grandeur of Mellon Bank downtown. This book is a great opportunity to step into the past and feel the grit of a true industrial city. Smith's personal genius - and his demons- heavily influnce the project. We're fortunate to be able to benefit from his views after the fact. Special credit has to go to the editors for wading through the 17,000 images Smith shot to get down to the highlights for this book.

I bought this book when it was first published because I had worked with the author. I expected to find insights but I didn't expect that it would change my life, after all an expert MUST be from at least 50 miles away and I knew the author. Now years after it was published I have realized I need to read it again. Things the book taught me have stuck with me during my changing life and my relationships with my family, and how I view myself as a wife, mother, daughter, co-worker and friend. Since I gave my copy away to someone I knew needed the book, I am coming back home so to speak to read it again and examine myself and love in my Christian life and the love that surrounds us. I am going to recharge my batteries.

This book has totally changed my life. Jim is a great guy with an evident passion for God and the things He is about. Jim speaks straight to the heart though this book. It is a great, fast read but also carries a ton of depth. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. But fair warning...don't be surprised if Embracing the Love of God completely changes your life!

I would highly recommend this book to anyone struggling to understand and receive God's love and forgiveness. This book is written especially for believers who are honest enough to admit they have a problem in this area. James Bryan Smith writes in a way that is simplistic and yet profound based on truths from the Word of God. He shares about his own struggles and how he came to a place of acceptance of God's grace and love for him. If you have a desire to be transformed by the love of God, take the time to read this book.

This book was sooo good...Please don't hesitate to get it! Take your time, and drink in the love of God that comes through the pages...
Nothing can separate us from the LOVE of GOD! That is what James Smith explains so well in this book. I just finished it, and know I will read it again. This book encouraged me and lifted me up. He definitely has a gift from God...to teach, help, and encourage...with references throughout, to the Word of God. I look forward to reading more of his books. As another reader said, this book will probably become a classic.

Embracing the Love of God is thought provoking and is,in my opinion, a potential "spiritual classic". Mr. Smith's extended essay is organized around three topics: Knowing God's Acceptance, Receiving God's Forgiveness and Experiencing God's Care. Read it, and keep it to re-read, when you need encouragement. Embracing the Love of God was a blessing to me, and I recommend you buy it.

In his short 1958 study of Al Smith, Oscar Handlin noted that "[t]he written word did not come as easily to Al Smith as the spoken word." Because of this, there it no great body of correspondence or private papers for Smith biographers to consult, ultimately hampering any effort to understand "the Happy Warrior." In this respect, Robert Slayton's book stands as a major achievement. Having conducted extensive archival research and interviewed the children and grandchildren of many of the key figures, he presents what is the most thoroughly researched work on Smith that we are likely to have, and easily the most definitive one currently available.

Slayton uses this material to present a compelling interpretive portrait of his subject. Tracing his idealistic, even naive view of America to his upbringing, Slayton argues that Smith never grew beyond viewing the world through the prism of the lower East Side. This was not a problem in the context of New York state politics, where he rode the crest of a wave of change in the state, one which brought him into the governor's office as the first holder representing the urban immigrants who were to plan an increasingly important role in politics during the twentieth century. When Smith ventured onto the national stage in 1928, however, his naivete about America's essential decency and tolerance crashed up against the prejudices of an America still dominated culturally by rural Protestant values. Slayton sees Smith's defeat as a decisive event transforming his character, leaving a streak of bitterness that only grew as he saw Franklin Roosevelt - a man he dismissed as his political junior - capture the prize that Smith would never obtain.

Yet for all of its strengths of research and analysis, Slayton's book suffers is in its writing. Throughout much of the book Slayton peppers his text with unnecessary slang, and at points such as when he is discussing Tammany or Smith's old neighborhood he adopts a more casual, colloquial tone. The effort jars with the more readable narrative of the rest of the text, appearing as if he were attempting to evoke the conversational style with which Smith was most comfortable. Instead of appearing atmospheric and creative, however, it comes across as amateurish and ham-handed, hobbling rather than helping the rest of the work.

These compositional gaffes can distract from the overall quality of this book. Slayton as provided a biography of Smith filled with insight into his character and his times. It is a book, however, that doesn't quite embody the legendary nature of this political figure, who dominated Democratic politics in the 1920s and who heralded many of the changes that America would undergo. Until the book that can capture this is written, Slayton's biography is the best work available for anyone seeking to understand this fascinating individual.

The book does a very nice job of describing one of the more important, but forgotten, figures in US political history. Smith's role as governor of New York and the various groundbreaking reforms he introduced, his mentorship of various figures from FDR to Robert Moses, and of course being the first Catholic to run for President would be enough to rank him right up there with some of the more widely written about icons of America. When you consider two of his top four advisers were women (this is the 1920's, mind you), his role in building the nation's tallest building at the time, his emergence as a spokesperson for the immigrant masses who became a political force during his era (and the subsequent, seismic shift this caused in the nation's political landscape - he was the first Democrat to lose the Solid South since the Civil War), his being one of the first politicians to speak out against Hitler, and that he did all this without even attending high school, Al not only deserves a high quality biography but perhaps a major motion picture as well. John Cusack in the lead!

The book is occasionally "cheerleady" - superlatives come landing out of left field in the midst of other, more traditional descriptions of events. It is, however, critical and frank in other areas of Smiths career, so it reads in a balanced fashion overall. It is a great read and one that should be read by anyone interested in the US political landscape and how it got to what it is today.

The election of John F. Kennedy to the presidency occurred when I was in the seventh grade of my local parochial school. In the Catholic/Democratic atmosphere of East Buffalo, and probably in Tim Russert's South Buffalo as well, the resulting ascendancy of a Catholic to the White House was a vindication. We knew that a Catholic had run once before; in fact, he had been governor of our own state. The popular wisdom of the Catholic grass roots held that the first intrepid candidate had lost because he was a Catholic, and a lot of America did not like Catholics. It did not occur to a seventh grader that people vote for lots of reasons, and that this was true in 1928 as in 1960.

Alfred E. Smith, a man of no small accomplishment, lost miserably to Herbert Hoover in a 1928 presidential election that added little to the American character. It may be true that his Catholicism was a major factor in his defeat, but biographer Robert A. Slayton provides a balanced study of Smith that gives reason to pause. We see early in this work that Smith [particularly when compared to Hoover] suffered from major deficiencies in his political upbringing that affected his judgment and contributed to a naiveté about the nature of the American electorate.

Born in 1873 in New York's infamous Fourth Ward, there was no way that young Smith would not be baptized into the two religions of his neighborhood: the Roman Catholic Church and Tammany Hall. At his local St. James Parish he received his elementary school education from the Christian Brothers. It is doubtful that he absorbed any particularly subversive tendencies of church and state at St. James. Catholic schools of the time were a laborious financial undertaking for Catholic bishops of the day, who considered them a necessary refuge against the virulent anti-Catholic attitudes of many public school curriculums. What Smith certainly absorbed from his Catholic upbringing was New York's multiculturalism, a phenomenon not understood and generally feared in the predominantly agricultural and Protestant Middle America.

Tammany Hall, one of America's most notorious yet beneficent Democratic political machines, would also demonstrate in Smith's day that same ability to adapt to cultural diversity despite its Irish heritage. Tammany was the incarnation of Tip O'Neill's dictum that "all politics is local." Slayton has no argument with this philosophy except to note that it is notorious bad presidential politics. Thus from the formative years Smith emerges as the Catholic/Tammany wounded duck.

But Smith postponed his inevitable denouement for a long time. For much of his life his personality, loyalty, affability and attention to detail, not to mention his "made man" status with the Tammany war horses, were enough to see him through his political climb. Despite its size and stature, New York State government was Byzantine and unwieldy. The legislature itself was a purgatory for a man without some kind of particular agenda, and Smith found his in the very organization of state government. With little to do, he became that body's best studied member and probably the best informed of the lot; he had something of Bob Taft's feel for the paper of legislation but with a much more extroverted personality. His counsel became cherished and his respect among his peers flourished.

And, he was lucky, though it is also true that men can make their own luck through hard work. On March 25, 1911 a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire in New York killed 146 workers. The dimensions of this tragedy and the accompanying neglect of worker safety made labor reform a statewide issue, allowing Smith to conduct emotional public hearings throughout the state. This exposure, and his public advocacy for a popular issue, put him into the New York State governor's mansion in 1919. With the invaluable help of Belle Moskowitz, Frances Perkins, and Robert Moses, among others, Smith continued his program of reform of the state constitution and generally pleased voters enough to maintain office more often than not in the dreadful decade of 1920's national Democratic defeats.

When William McAdoo declined to seek the presidential nomination in 1928, Governor Smith was virtually unopposed within his party. Suffice to say that once he stepped onto the national stage, however, all of his assets of many years became liabilities. His New York bonhomie, his Catholicism, his parochial accent, and his enjoyment of spirits in the age of the Volstead Act doomed his campaign from the start. He was running against the extremely popular Coolidge legacy, against a candidate who knew how to avoid mistakes. To borrow a metaphor from this century, the "red states" were really red, and there were many more of them in 1928.

Having said that, there is no denying that the 1928 campaign set the twentieth century low water mark for bigotry and ugliness. Slayton points out that the KKK of the 1920's was primarily an anti-Catholic movement; Jim Crow laws made Negro intimidation relatively unnecessary at the time. Catholicism was understood as a foreign invasion of lower class degenerates who drank excessively and usurped the jobs of present American citizens. The Democratic ticket was seen as an endorsement of this demographic shift, and voters turned upon the top of the ticket with a particular vehemence. Smith's parochialism had not prepared him for this, and the intensity of feeling against him, along with the size of the defeat, seems to have left psychological scars that remained with Smith for the rest of his life.

After this grueling ordeal, it galled Smith all the more that the perceived savior of his party was a man he considered a political lightweight, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. As long as FDR lived, Smith would never get his electoral revenge. Coupled with the debacle of managing the day's tallest white elephant, the new Empire State Building, Smith's "redemption" makes only a cameo appearance in this work.

there is a largely-forgotten statue of al smith on the lower east side at the corner of monroe & catherine streets, but i like to think of the empire state building as the true monument to al smith. at the time perhaps the building was a financial failure, but it was simultaneously a symbol of hope even during the depression when it was being built. only a man like al smith had the vision to help create a monument of such optimism during such bleak times - but more importantly, he did so with the intention of providing a symbol of hope to his fellow nyers. (a symbol, i might add, that has renewed importance in post-9/11 ny.)

i appreciate & love the fact that reading lists in nyc have been expanded to include the writings & histories of all the races & creeds & cultures that have come to nyc. but as a white, working-class, catholic nyer, i have noticed a real lack of identity awareness or cultural heritage. this biography of al smith fills that void: by presenting al smith and his beliefs, it not only describes the immigrant experience of catholics at the turn of the century, but shows too how great men like al smith were key in helping the various catholic immigrant groups (irish, italian, polish, etc) to become mainstream, integrated americans in this formerly predominantly-protestant country. the anti-catholic impulse in america is largely forgotten, & in fact it is also forgotten that there was a time when white catholic americans were certainly not considered part of the white ruling class.

in addition, i love the fact that al smith's life & legacy point to another subculture: the progressive catholics. this term is not an oxymoron; at one point in american history, catholics were on the frontlines of many progessive agendas. this book provides an insight into a church that might have been.

i strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in american history or politics, but moreso to anyone who wants to examine the relationship of ny to the rest of america or how the aspects of class and religion (& not just race) influenced the poltical and cultural climate of america in the 20th century.

al smith was a hero of the working class, a hero of immigrant groups, a hero for catholics, for liberals, for new deal democrats, and ultimately for all americans. it is a shame that most people - even nyers - don't even know his name. this book is a huge step toward remedying that tragedy.

very highly recommended!

Growing up in New York, it was hard to avoid the name Alfred E. Smith. The huge housing development on the Lower East Side is just one structure that bears his name. But it wasn't until I had read Leon Stein's "Traingle Fire" (for a college paper), when I learned something about the man himself. Later, as another reviewer mentioned, Al Smith was highlighted in the Ric Burns "New York" documentary. Intrigued, I picked up Christopher Finan's "Happy Warrior", which was a very good introduction. However, Professor Robert Slayton's "Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith" has completed the picture for me.

Slayton painstakingly examines the complex relationships between Smith and many of the players in his political spectrum, especially FDR. How this contrasts with the simple but deep relationships he had with friends and family is astounding. One of Professor Slayton's main theses--that Smith embodied the best qualities of turn-of-the century immigrant New York--is smoothly argued. For New York, Smith was the right man at the right time. But then Slayton switches gears, with convincing authority, that Smith was the wrong man at wrong time for 1928 America. It is a devestating irony, and grippingly described.

I found the final sections about Smith's reconciliation with FDR and America extremely moving. The entire "Finale" section, including the deaths and funerals of Smith's wife, Katie, and then Smith himself, had me choking back the tears. Finally, there is Professor Slayton's reminder of the legacy that Al Smith left behind, both for New York City and the nation. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Rocco Dormarunno
Author of The Five Points

The fourth of the Chronicles of Barsetshire, Framley Parsonage (1861) is a gentle novel filled with memorable characters, including many characters from The Warden, Barchester Towers, and Doctor Thorne (Barsetshire Novels). Mark Robarts, a young vicar with a devoted wife, has a comfortable situation at Framley Parsonage on the estate of the indomitable Lady Lufton. Her son, now Lord Lufton, had been a friend of Mark Robarts at school, and it was their friendship which resulted in Mark's position. Mark, though conscientious in his duties and grateful for his situation, is ambitious, however, anxious to expand his horizons beyond Framley.

Lady Lufton, who rules with an iron hand, is appalled when Mark decides to spend a weekend with a "fast" crowd, one which he believes can advance his career. Young and naïve, he becomes the dupe of an aristocratic "con-man," an MP named Nathaniel Sowerby, who persuades him to help him out of a financial jam by signing a note for five hundred pounds (more than half Robarts's yearly salary), allowing Sowerby to draw funds on Robarts's name. In the meantime, Robarts's sister Lucy arrives at Framley Parsonage upon the death of their father. Lucy, a sweet ingénue in mourning, soon comes to the attention of Lord Lufton, but Lady Lufton has many more "significant" matrimonial prospects in mind for her son. As Robarts's financial miseries become more pressing, and as Lucy's disappointment in love increases, the scene is set for a final showdown.

Numerous peripheral characters, many of them known to readers of the series, add to the drama of the primary action. The implacable dowager Lady Lufton, wishing to maintain her family's social position, pushes Griselda Grantly, daughter of Archdeacon Grantly, as the Duke's suitor. The competition between the (Archdeacon) Grantlys and the (Bishop) Proudies for suitors for their daughters adds great comic relief to the story, and the internecine manipulations among the clergy provide gentle satire in a novel which seems to be remarkably domestic in its focus.

Trollope provides a full picture of Victorian life, representing many aspects of society, and though his view of the clergy has in earlier novels been a bit jaded, he is sympathetic to many of its representatives in this novel, seeing them as humans, rather than as types. A sweet novel, part love story and part social commentary, Framley Parsonage is charming, memorable for its characters and picture of Victorian England. Mary Whipple

Anthony Trollope is a favorite author of mine, and this audio CD version of Framley Parsonage, read by Simon Vance, is well worth the investment. Deft use of language and a keen sense of human motivation, time, and place characterize all Trollope's writing, and those who enjoy period literature will be more than satisfied with this book. It starts slowly, as Trollope's stories often do, but once the background information is given, there are many interesting social, political, financial, and romantic plot developments to engage the reader and listener. Simon Vance's reading is superb, as always. The only caveat is that his rendering of the voice and character of young women is not as good as his pitch, tone, and inflection when narrating the voices of mature women and all men. His skill in rendering different dialects for different social classes and geographical regions is matchless. By all means, listen to this book.

The fourth of the Chronicles of Barsetshire, Framley Parsonage (1861) is a gentle novel filled with memorable characters, including many characters from The Warden, Barchester Towers, and Dr. Thorne. Mark Robarts, a young vicar with a devoted wife, has a comfortable situation at Framley Parsonage on the estate of the indomitable Lady Lufton. Her son, now Lord Lufton, had been a friend of Mark Robarts at school, and it was their friendship which resulted in Mark's position. Mark, though conscientious in his duties and grateful for his situation, is ambitious, however, anxious to expand his horizons beyond Framley.

Lady Lufton, who rules with an iron hand, is appalled when Mark decides to spend a weekend with a "fast" crowd, one which he believes can advance his career. Young and naïve, he becomes the dupe of an aristocratic "con-man," an MP named Nathaniel Sowerby, who persuades him to help him out of a financial jam by signing a note for five hundred pounds (more than half Robarts's yearly salary), allowing Sowerby to draw funds on Robarts's name. Though Sowerby swears he will resolve the problem within weeks, he needs an additional four hundred pounds when the note comes due.

In the meantime, Robarts's sister Lucy arrives at Framley Parsonage upon the death of their father. Lucy, a sweet ingénue in mourning, soon comes to the attention of Lord Lufton, who is fascinated by her naivete, a marked contrast with the women he has known to date. Though Lady Lufton has much more "significant" matrimonial prospects in mind for her son, the courtship begins, and though Lucy declines Lord Lufton's initial proposal, she remains in love with him. As Robarts's financial miseries become more pressing, and as Lucy's misery at having turned down Lord Lufton increases, the scene is set for a final showdown.

Numerous peripheral characters, many of them known to readers of the series, add to the drama of the primary action. The implacable dowager Lady Lufton, wishing to maintain her family's social position, staunchly opposes the Duke's relationship with Lucy Robarts, pushing Griselda Grantly, daughter of Archdeacon Grantly, as the Duke's suitor. The competition between the (Archdeacon) Grantlys and the (Bishop) Proudies for suitors for their daughters adds great comic relief to the story, and the internecine manipulations among the clergy provide gentle satire in a novel which seems to be remarkably domestic in its focus.

Trollope provides a full picture of Victorian life, representing many aspects of society, and though his view of the clergy has in earlier novels been a bit jaded, he is sympathetic to many of its representatives in this novel, seeing them as humans, rather than as types. A sweet novel, part love story and part social commentary, Framley Parsonage is charming, memorable for its characters and picture of Victorian England. n Mary Whipple

The Warden
Barchester Towers
Doctor Thorne (Barsetshire Novels)

In this novel we find one Mark Robarts, clergyman and parson of Framley. He is an ambitious young man desirous of rising in society. He is friends since childhood with Lord Lufton who makes an unfortunate introduction in the person of Sowerby who seduces poor Mark into signing his name to a debt which the parson cannot afford.

Mark Robarts's father passes away early on and his sister Lucy joins Mark and his wife at Framley Parsonage where Lord Lufton falls in love with her. Two more couples form and while I won't reveal how any of these relationships work out it wouldn't really matter if I did. Trollope's plots usually vary from bad to good but they are hardly ever of any importance anyway. What is important in a Trollope novel isn't what the plot is or how it concludes, it's how it works itself out and how Trollope paints his characters.

The characters in Framley Parsonage are a little whiter and blacker than those of the previous novels in the Barsetshire series. Sowerby is by far and away the blackest and Trollope was so effective in painting him black that towards the end he clumsily appeals directly to the reader and assures us Sowerby isn't really as bad a fellow as he seems.

Dr. Thorne and his niece Mary Gresham appear (from Doctor Thorne) as do the Grantlys and the Proudies (from Barchester Towers). Lucy Robarts is a fascinating woman even more headstrong here than Mary Gresham was in Doctor Thorne, but my favourite character in this novel is Lady Lufton. She opposes her son's desire to court and marry Lucy but does so politely and with consideration. At the same time, Lucy behaves in way Lady Lufton can only find irreproachable. So of course, not having anything with which to reproach Lucy, Lady Lufton has nothing with which to oppose her son's suit. And yet she does. How will this three-sided battle of wills, pitting Lord Lufton against his mother against Lucy against her suitor, resolve itself?

Well, that would be telling, wouldn't it? Let's just say that Lady Lufton has painted herself into a corner and let us leave it at that.

All in all, another fine example of Trollope's mastery of moral calculus.

Vincent Poirier, Dublin

Framley Parsonage is the fourth in Trollope's Barsetshire novels. Trollope (1815-1882) wrote the novel as a serial in the influential Cornhill magazine in 186-61, This novel along with the others in the series: The Warden; Dr. Thorne, The Small House at Allington, Barchester Towers and the Last Chronicle of Barset is a delightful return to mid-Victorian middle class society in a rural mythical county named Barsetshire.
In this long novel of over 600 pages there are several stories. The main character is the Rev. Mark Robarts, a
doctor's son, who at a young age becomes the vicar of Framley Parsonage. He has children and a kind wife Fanny. Mark has visions of grandeur in his head. He lends money to the unscrupulous Member of Parliament Mr. Sowerby. As a result of this fatuity Mark falls into debt. His friends rally to his aid.
Mark's sister Lucy Robarts is novel's heroine. She falls in love with the wealthy Lord Lufton who lives at Eustace Court with his formidable mother Lady Lufton. Lady Lufton wants her son Ludovic to wed Griselda Grantley the statuesque but dull as dishwater and cold as a cucumber daughter of Archdeacon Grantley. Lufton is torn between these two women. We see Lady Lufton overcome her prejudice against Lucy. Lucy is a kind girl who minister to the family of the poor clergyman Josiah Crawley. She wins over the heart of Lady Lufton and the reader.
Secondary plots concern the midlife romance of Miss Dunstable and good Doctor Thorne. Olivia Proudie daughter of the fussy busybody and scold Mrs. Proudie and the uxorious Bishop Proudie weds a clergyman Mr. Tickler who is a widower. Griselda Grantley is courted by the stupid Lord Dumbello who possesses a name and title to the Hartletop lands and fortune. Will she win Lord Lufton or choose Dumbello?
All's well that ends well in this classic Trollopian tale. Long before Jan Karon, Anthony Trollope wrote humorous, moving and plot driven tales of the lives of the clergy dealing with real life problems, romance and challenges. In my opinion, an Anthony Trollope novel is a good way to spend a quiet evening before the fireplace. Enjoy this wonderful author and the world he created.

I own dozens of Italian cookbooks and decided to buy Harry's Bar Cookbook. I'm very glad I did. This book offers many unique recipes and is well written. Highly recommended!

I think, also, that Amazon may have a mistake with Nigella Lawson doing the foreward? Even the book cover pictured says it's Michael Winner. I don't know if this has been updated once inside, but it appears to be the same book with a different publisher. It's also more expensive than the 1991 version from Bantam Books. Great book, by the way.

This book offers such wonderful recipes and a great story too! I like reading about the history of the restaurant which is absolutely wonderful. Can't wait to go back. The book is great, and the recipes are basic and easy to follow. Wonderful find for anyone who enoys cooking and loves to eat!

I own and love the original Harry's Bar Cookbook. Is this book the same thing but with Lawson included? As I read the reviews I saw the same stories as appear in the original.

I have been a serious student of cooking for the past 25 years. I have focused on Italian cooking for 10 of the last 25 years after my first trip to Italy.

Harry's Bar in Venice is one of those places that everyone wants to visit at least once. The restaurant does not disappoint and neither does the cookbook. If I had to pair down my Italian cookbook collection (which is now well over 50 cookbooks) this book would be in my top 5. Each recipe in the book that I have tried has been perfect. Even if you normally tinker with recipes, as I usually do, try these just as they are written at least once. I don't think that you will be disappointed.

I appreciate the fact that the book is authentic, as opposed to the Italian-American books that are normally available in America. This book is packed full of fabulous recipes, each one better than the last. The pictures of the recipes are beautiful as the photos of Venice.

This book will be a wonderful addition to anyone's cookbook collection. This would also make a fabulous gift for a lover of either Italy or cooking.

You've got to be kidding! I have not read the book, only the reviews; but I saved a dog once and no one is writing a book about me.
Alyce Holden

A Hero Among Heroes is a "must read". The story of Jimmie Dyess is truly facinating. General Smith's latest book is sure to appeal to a very wide range of readers' interests. Background information on the Carnegie Medal and the Medal of Honor is well presented and most informative. Those interested in the history of Augusta, Georgia will find Smith's view of Augusta, during the two decades leading up to World War II, well worth reading.

A warm family story of a real hero with a rich context that lets the reader look at America before and during WW II. Both action and insight. Also a nice exploration of the essence of courage. Too bad there aren't more of such writings to remind us of past extraordinary sacrifice and its relevance to 1999 America. A great book for 4th of July reading!

Hero is a term used all too casually in our contemporary American society. Sports figures, entertainers, and political leaders are often referred to as 'heroes,' in the popular media. However, the title of 'hero' is earned only by an exceptional display of courage and often is accompanied by great personal sacrifice. Perry Smith delivers a powerful story of why Jimmie Dyess should be remembered as "A Hero Among Heroes." As Samuel Johnson wrote, "It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives." "A Hero Among Heroes," is the story of how Jimmie Dyess lived and what led this man to accomplish such extraordinary feats of heroism.

Perry Smith dissects the life of his father-in-law to deliver an insightful chronical of the life of an exceptional man. What compelled Jimmie Dyess to risk his life, again and again, first as a college student and then later as a U.S. Marine?

No one could definitively answer that question, but Perry Smith allows us to look deeply into the life of Dyess and provides us with ample clues as to why he behaved so heroically. The qualities he developed in the crucible of the Great Depression growing up in Augusta, Georgia, and the leadership skills he was to hone in military service almost seem to have compelled Dyess to exhibit exceptional gallantry.

Perry Smith vividly tells the story of why Jimmie Dyess was a true hero; a man whose deeds are worthy of being honored and more importantly, being remembered.

Sadly, America today seems completely bereft of heroes. Perry Smith has undertaken a labor of love to bring to the public eye the story of his father-in-law, Jimmie Dyess, a man he never met. Written primarily for his mother-in-law and his wife, Smith tells the story of a true hero, the only person ever to win both the Carnegie Medal and the Congressional Medal of Honor. Clearly, Jimmie Dyess was a man of honor, courage, and conviction.

In telling the Dyess story, Smith also provides background and history of Andrew Carnegie and the Carnegia Medal. This medal is only awarded to "one, who at the risk of his own life, saves or attempts to save the life of a fellow man. There must be conclusive evidence that the person perfoming the act voluntarily risked his own life to an extraordinary degree in saving or attempting to save the life of another person, or voluntarily scarificed himself in a heroic manner for the benefit of others. The act of rescue must be one in which no direct family relationship or other full measure of responsibility exists between the rescuer and the recued. The act must have been performed in the United States, Canada or the waters thereof and must be brought to the attention of the Commission within two years of the date of the rescue."

Dyess received the Carnegie Medal in 1929 for saving two women on July 13, 1928, who would have surely drowned in the Atlantic ocean. Sixteen years after saving those two women, Dyess's widow, Connor Cleckley Dyess, received the Medal of Honor posthumously for the heroic actions of her husband for his actions in leading fellow Marines in combat in February 1944 during the Roi Namur campaign against well-trained, entrenched Japanese forces.

By telling the Dyess story, Smith also weaves the history of the times. The Depression Years are described, as well as the history of the Marine Corps. Moreover, he also provides a perspective and comparison of the two awards for heroism. The historical value of the book alone is worth the cost of the book.

Should all Americans, both young and old, read this book? Absolutely! It describes the deep-seated values of a man who epitomized courage in the face of danger, honesty, integrity, and natural leadership. Parents would do well to have their children emulate the personal and professional characteristics of Jimmie Dyess. He is a true American hero!

This is a great look at Hip-Hop culture and theology. I strongly recommend it, especially if you are in a ministry setting like mine: rural white and older. My congregation understands next to nothing about hip-hop culture and reacts with fear when confronted by it. This book gave some great insights that better equipped me to have discussions with my parishoners and help them to understand the cultural differences.

This is definitely a must have for any Leader who works with teens and is looking for ways to impact a future generation.

Efrem Smith and Phil Jackson's THE HIP-HOP CHURCH: CONNECTING WITH THE MOVEMENT SHAPING OUR CULTURE provides an important survey which advocates reaching spiritual souls through their own language - the music of hiphop. From understanding hiphop culture to bringing it into the church, any involved in a church and seeking to involve urban youth must have THE HIP-HOP CHURCH: it's an inspirational survey of how to reach out in an alternative manner.

this book is a must read of any minister, youth worker, dj, music worker, or anyone dealing with the youth wanting to use the hip hop culture.

Efremm and Jackson do a great job bridging the gap between the hip hop generation and the church. They engage one without the defaming the the other. Great book and informative. it also gives diffrent ways to use hip hop in youth ministries.

This is a great beginner's cookbook, especially for those with a limited budget and limited pantry space. The recipes are "forgiving" in the respect that substitutions (and sometimes even omissions) don't ruin the end result. Even my meat-eating spouse enjoys everything I make from this book (and it's sequel: Beyond the Moon: From the Author of The Horn of the Moon Cookbook).
Because this cookbook is by one person, rather than a collective like the Moosewood series, key ingredients (spices and staples) are utilized throughout the book. A great gift for a college student. Recipes include cheese and eggs, but not sugar. I just wish it wasn't going out of print!

I got this book purely on the reviews on Amazon and I was not disappointed! I can tell this book will easily be my new favorite cookbook. I have read it from cover to cover and cannot wait to start experimenting with dishes.

I will update my review after I have made several recipes from it.

As a single 20 something I live first hand with wanting to eat healthier but not having the desire to make much more than microwave dinners at times. However the delicious variety of this cookbook gets me into my kitchen and cooking.

The recipes are hearty and one dish lasts for days. It is a wonderful feeling having friends want to come over to eat dinner. My personal favorite crowd pleasure is the cheesy corn chowder. I had my 9 year old little sister ask for seconds and she is an extremely picky eater.

I feel so much better after eating vegetarian. I have multiple food allergies and this cookbook has never let me down in offering a plentiful variety of mouth watering choices.

This is the best vegetarian cookbook ever (if you include eggs and dairy in your diet, that is). These aren't namby-pamby low cal/low fat blah recipes, but hearty, stick-to-your-ribs, even-the-kids-will-love-it recipes. I've never made a recipe out of this book yet that was a dud. No bizarre ingredients, no complicated directions. Everything here works, and is wonderful. Highly recommended!

I've owned this cookbook for at least 15 years. I rarely think to recommend it to other people, because the Horn of the Moon cookbook is like a favorite sweater: comfortable, easy to get along with, and ultimately satisfying. It's not fancy, but that's the point; it's what you turn to when you want to relax.

The Horn of the Moon was (and presumably still is) a vegetarian restaurant in Vermont, very much in the same genre as Moosewood in upstate New York. (In fact, if you're a fan of the Moosewood cookbooks, you can stop reading right here and click on the Buy button. There's no question that Moosewood fans will love this cookbook.) The New England background influences the choice of ingredients; as you might imagine, maple syrup is used frequently as a sweetener. (Not that I mind in the least, as it's my personal favorite, particularly with anything chocolate.) You'll also find plenty of winter vegetables, such as butternut squash and parsnips.

Horn of the Moon also has an emphasis on _healthy_ eating, not just eliminating meat; sweeteners are unrefined, flour is usually a mix of whole wheat with white, and so forth.

Chapters include breakfast, soups, salads, simple meals, main courses, desserts, and "celebrations, or cooking for the masses." While its chapter about ingredients was probably necessary when the book was written in '87, you probably don't need it today; most ordinary grocery stores carry tofu and whole grain flour nowadays.

I've used this cookbook so often over the years that its spine is broken, and the book falls open to several pages that have a *lot* of food stains on them: maple cornmeal muffins, creamy Italian dressing, baked artichoke dip, shepherd's pie, pumpkin pie (this is my pumpkin pie recipe of choice), Greek walnut pie. As you can tell, I have many favorites, so I'll tell you about just a few.

The artichoke dip is what I make on evenings when the two of us want "something" but a full meal is too much, and it uses items that I always have in my pantry. (Okay, so I make SURE I have these items in my pantry, just so I can make the dip.)

Unlike most recipes for shepherd's pie, the Horn of the Moon recipe is emphatically _not boring_; I admit that it takes a couple of hours to assemble the melange of mushrooms, fried tofu (*do* take the time to fry it), brocolli, corn, cheddar, and several other veggies... but it's a guaranteed way to make a tummy happy.

The Greek walnut pie could have been called, "Baklava for people who have other things to do" because it's so easy to assemble (ground walnuts, maple syrup, cinnamon, eggs piled into a filo pie crust) but it gets rave reviews when I bring it to buffets because rolling the filo on top gives it awesome presentation.

As you can tell, this is a book that has a special spot on my cookbook shelf. I think it'll earn a spot of distinction on yours as well.

As a new member to the realestate community I was very nervous as to how I would make a good start in my new career. This book is full of great advise to set you up for success. With all of the huge competition in this cut throat business it is very important to do all you can to position yourself for success. I do recomend this book if you are serious about making money as a real estate agent.

How to Become a Million Dollar Real Estate Agent in Your First Year, written by Susan Smith Alvis, is the perfect book for anyone who is undertaking or considering a career as a real estate agent. Written in a conversational tone that makes for a quick read, this book gives the reader step-by-step instructions for everything from how to set up his business, how to find clients, how to deal with other realtors, and how to, ultimately, close a deal with clients.

As an added benefit, How to Become a Million Dollar Real Estate Agent in Your First Year is also filled with great tools for the beginner real estate agent. The glossary of terms is a comprehensive listing of real estate terms and their meanings. The included telephone scripts and canvassing letter formats will prove to be solid starting points as the reader begins to develop and increase his own client base. The section of the book titled "A Day in the Life of a Real Estate Agent" also provides valuable descriptions of the types of things a successful real estate agent does and even how often he does them. What more instruction could you ask for?

How to Become a Million Dollar Real Estate Agent in Your First Year is one book that should become a part of any new real estate agent's reference library. Its no-nonsense advice and well-developed reference section will make the reader glad to have it on his bookshelf.

Susan Smith Alvis writes an extremely informative and practical guide on becoming a million dollar real estate agent. Everything an up-and-coming real estate agent needs to know to be a top performer--finding listings and clients, self-marketing, budgeting, and planning for success--is in this book. But what makes this book special is her take on running your business. She stresses the importance of work-life balance to maintain one's sanity and that ethical business practices will take you further than shady ones. And as a seasoned professional, she has much sage advice about how to avoid the shady practices of others. Great advice for not getting taken by the brokerage house and for paying yourself is also included. This book has it all!
It is clear Susan Smith Alvis knows her stuff. Her energy and expertise come through on every page.

Real estate agents who are newly licensed can't afford to miss this guide, which surveys the successful strategies of top seller and creates a business plan from these strategies. Any who want to learn how to begin a real estate business will find plenty of material from agents' personal experiences, paired with lessons from the author's own viewpoint. From handling competition and gaining referrals to setting up Internet marketing and keeping clients close by mailing out reminder cards, any business library catering to real estate agent clientele needs this.

As a newly minted real estate agent, I bought this book to start learning what I really need to know about real estate, other than what is required by law, and this book does a good job at hitting on important things that a real estate agent should know.

Two things that bothered me though, are first, the author (as I believe I understood it), only worked in real estate for four years and is now retired from real estate. If the advice she gives about how to be a successful real estate agent is so good, how come she no longer practices, after only doing it for 4 years?

Also, the product description on Amazon listed many topics that were the content of this book. Some of those topics were covered by 2 or 3 sentences which was not enough depth to do them justice. Also, where was the part about the vehicle and insurance...I must have missed that. I'll read the book again and see if it is there, but I don't believe it was.

On the positive side I appreciated what the author had to say about keeping a positive attitude and being an ethical real estate agent. I do recommend this book as a good starting point for a new agent as you will be able to create a list of things you need to further investigate for your new career in real estate.